How To Avoid Overtraining Syndrome When You Love Working Out
We’re all about testosterone here.
Masculinity…
Grizzled and chiseled jawlines.
Brawny builds and adequate intellect.
Strong bodies and even stronger character.
You know, manliness at its best.
But I’m going to get a little soft with you for a minute.
Brace yourself because here comes the L-word…
I love working out.
I love crafting my physique through intentional movements… whether the clanking of cast iron plates on an Anabolic Reload, STX set…
A muscle-building combo of pull-ups, dips, and a variety of other bodyweight exercises…
And yielding myself to the creative expression needed to design and execute a testosterone-pumping workout.
C’mon, I know you do, too.
But if we aren’t careful, this love for working out can cause something called overtraining syndrome.
Overtraining syndrome is the result of lots of training and little rest.
It’s pushing your body without allowing it time to recover…
An imbalance between tearing muscle tissue and repairing it.
Overtraining syndrome is a common, yet often overlooked ailment. It sweeps its way across gyms all over the world, causing some to fall out of love with working out altogether.
It’s a real issue that needs to be addressed and avoided before it becomes a personal affair, so let’s put overtraining syndrome under the microscope and inspect the problem with it, the symptoms of it and the solution for it.
The Problem
Ample amounts of training may seem like a sure way to build the body you’re searching for.
But it’s not.
Your testosterone levels are the true contributors to your physique…
And overtraining syndrome crushes your testosterone levels.
Yeah, I’m sure you’re probably thinking about some of your Hollywood heroes, or some bodybuilding big-name that claim to train every day and suggests you should do the same.
Don’t buy the lie.
Most of those guys are getting a little help from unnatural sources (if you know what I mean)…
We’re not about that here. We’re all about naturally boosting and taking care of our testosterone levels.
The truth is that training every day, naturally, will deplete your T-count. No questions asked.
But I also want to caution you that you don’t necessarily need to train every day to put yourself at risk of overtraining…
You can overtrain through mornings at the gym and afternoons in the yard, or late hours at the office and little turn around before your next training session.
Don’t get me wrong, your body is strong, but it’s also delicate and needs to be tended to as such.
Remember, when your body is put under stress for extended periods of time your cortisol levels begin to rise…
If this pattern of stress without rest continues, that testosterone-killing hormone will wear your body down and your testosterone out.
You’ll be sick and catabolic, a workout lover’s worst nightmare.
This study in specific showed the correlation between overtraining, high cortisol and low testosterone. The adverse effects of overtraining are inevitable.
Overtraining syndrome is a problem for your overall health in general, and your testosterone health in particular.
So, how can you tell if you’ve been training too much?
The Symptoms
When it comes to overtraining syndrome, the symptoms are easy to spot.
However, we often like to dispel the symptoms as something they’re not.
Instead of considering overtraining syndrome we think, “I’m probably just coming down with a little cold,” or, “I’m just abnormally tired this morning because it’s the holiday season and work has been more hectic than usual.”
And so we put a mask on something staring us in the face.
I get it.
I’ve been there myself.
You love working out. You don’t want to take a day off.
You may feel like you’re stalling progress by resting (not true by the way)…
And to top it off, admitting overtraining is admitting that your body isn’t invincible like you wish it was (true by the way)…
But you have to face the facts if you want to stay healthy, protect your testosterone, and meet your physique goals sooner rather than later.
Get to know the symptoms and you’ll be able to diagnose overtraining syndrome before it becomes a week-long or even month long ordeal.
The real pitfall of this problem is that the effects of overtraining syndrome won’t be cured with a shot of vitamin-C…
Your body may need weeks to recover.
In a modern study, research revealed the nasty side effects of overtraining for physical and emotional health, including high cortisol levels, fatigue, frequent illness, altered mood, and depression, just to name a few.
But ultimately, no one knows your body better than you do.
No one can tell you on your early morning drive to the gym that your body just feels worn out… except for you.
A blanket list of symptoms doesn’t include one of the most important ones, being, “I just feel a bit off today.”
Take your workouts a day a time and most importantly, listen to your body to keep overtraining syndrome at bay.
Still, I’m sure you’re wondering at this point, is there a way to prevent overtraining syndrome?
The Solution
Okay, enough with the bad news…
Overtraining syndrome, though common, is avoidable, and the method is simple.
Get back to the basics.
Check Your Diet.
Make sure you’re eating plenty of foods that are packed with nutrients that’ll increase your immunity against sickness and are solid for your testosterone health.
If you aren’t eating healthy, you’re just asking for a lower quality of wellness in general and a lower T-count in particular, both avoidable issues with a healthy diet.
Filling your body with nutrient dense foods will keep your system running as it should…
Get Some Sleep.
An adequate amount of sleep goes a long way.
Shoot for at least 7 hours of sleep a night in order to keep your body recovering properly.
Because rest is the antithesis of overtraining, you can expect that an abundance of it will do a world of good in protecting you from overtraining, simply because you’re relaxing instead of working.
Also, when you prioritize a good night’s rest, your muscles regroup and grow, your testosterone levels rise and your immune system stays strong…
If you want to maximize muscle growth and boost your Anabolic Hormones like growth hormone and testosterone, check this out.
Stay Lightly Active When Tempted.
So what should you do when you’re itching to workout but you’re on an “off-day” in your training schedule?
Listen, just because you’re on an “off-day” doesn’t mean you need to be a couch potato.
Get out for some light activity.
Go for a hike. Swim in the lake. Take a casual bike ride.
Beneficial activity doesn’t always mean strenuous activity.
Enjoy common forms of exercise that won’t tax you out.
Overtraining syndrome is always going to be a threat to men who love to workout.
That’s why I want you to be informed on how real of an issue it is and how to avoid it.
If you keep this post in mind and follow the advice I laid out for you, I’m confident that you’ll be better equipped to do what it is that you love to do, without the effects of overtraining standing in your way.